


A Friend Named Shiro

by unprofessional_queer



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Shiro (Voltron) Angst, Shiro (Voltron) Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unprofessional_queer/pseuds/unprofessional_queer
Summary: During the metal ceremony showcasing the brave paladins, all hell breaks loose. A lone ship enters the atmosphere and opens fire on the large group of people gathered to celebrate the war's end. Keith saves the day by taking the shots himself, but what will come of the injured red paladin?
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	A Friend Named Shiro

Just a couple hours ago, the paladins were being rewarded with medals for their bravery and tenacity.

The war was over.

Zarkon and Lotor long dead. They had demolished the last remaining violent Galran groups, finally putting an end to the five-year long battle for peace. The original five stood in front of everyone, hands locked in a bone crushing grip. None of them could believe it, their eyes brimming with tears and their heads help high. Shiro, Keith, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge, their names were called as the medals were places around their necks. Their hearts filling with pride.

After the smallest paladin got their medal, Hunk pulled them into a life ending hug. The other three quickly followed, enveloping the youngest member in a hug. The group embrace was equally for reassurance as it was for hiding the tears. All five of them crying, the first time they had let themselves since being shot out into space.

The thousands gathered before them amped up the cheering at seeing the display, their heroes all holding each other as if their lives depended on it. People wrapped their loved ones in almost aggressive hugs, desperate to convey how much they love them.

The cheers turned to shouts. 

The scene playing before him was complete, unbelievable chaos.

A single Galra fighter ship broke the atmosphere. The lions’ eyes lit up and the beasts roared to life, crouching down to let their paladin’s board. The original five boarded their respective lions, the joy they felt turning into an ever-consuming anger.

They surrounded the space craft, one above it and four on each of its sides. They had their comns on, discussing a strategy to rid Earth of the galra. It wouldn’t be hard to destroy the ship if they were in space, but there were thousands of innocent people that would get shrapnel rained down on them if they weren’t careful.

They didn’t take into consideration who the target of the attack was. The paladins assumed it was one last, lone Galra trying his hand at killing a member of Voltron. They were wrong. 

The scene playing before him was unbelievable.

Shiro could only stare dumbly as the fighter shot off a few blasts, right into the crowd below. Keith was quick to react, doing the only thing he could to save the people. He flew down and took the blasts. Time slowed. The red paladin jerked the controls, trying to steer the lion that was falling out of the sky away from the crowd. The duo hit the ground with a deafening crack, smoke rising quickly.

Everyone waited for the two to get back up, not daring to breathe. They didn’t.

Pidge was screaming, cussing out the enemy and begging Keith to get up. The green paladin used the vine gun on the ship, collapsing it from the inside. Hunk quickly flew over and caught it before it could touch the citizens below.

Keith had suffered nearly fatal injuries, Shiro knew that. The leader knew that his friend didn’t have long left, a year at most. The person that saved his life, saved the world, the only living person that Shiro loved was dying.

He wasn’t prepared to lose his brother.

Keith had also suffered sever brain injuries. The doctors told Shiro immediately that the outcome didn’t look good. That Keith would lose his memories. That Keith would forget him.

Shiro couldn’t bear to tell him that. He couldn’t tell his best friend that he would slowly forget their late-night rides in the desert. All the times they had laughed until their eyes filled with tears and their stomachs ached. The way Shiro comforted Keith when he missed his dad and the way Keith comforted Shiro when he missed Adam. The thought made Shiro sick.

Shiro went into Keith’s room every day, to help clean his wounds and hang out. The stoic leader reduced to tears each night, seeing how Keith slowly stopped registering that it was his best friend walked through his door every day.

Keith’s breathing was labored. Eleven months had passed and the former black paladin had to watch as his friend slowly died. It was just the two of them, everyone leaving them in peace.

Keith looked over at Shiro, seemingly remembering something really important. He called Shiro over, not realizing who the man was and said, “Hey. I’m real bad off and I need you to promise something for me. If you ever see a guy named Shiro, tell him that I’m sorry. I haven’t seen him in a really long time and I miss him. I miss my best friend. He’s like- a head taller than me with grey hair and glasses. Just if you happen to find him here, please tell him for me-“ Keith broke off wheezing, barely holding on.

“Don’t worry. I’m gonna find him for you and I’ll tell him. Just take it easy. Relax, you’re okay.” Shiro managed to say in between tears, his best friend unknowingly apologizing to him. Keith’s lips moved, mouthing the words, “Thank you.”

His best friend was now gone. 


End file.
